Method for preventing fraudulent printing of a postage indicium displayed on a personal computer

Abstract

A method for printing an IBIP indicium in an IBIP open metering system includes the steps of obtaining a bit mapped image of a fixed graphic portion of the indicium and drawing a bit mapped image of a variable portion of the indicium using indicium data elements. Then it is determined whether the indicium is to be printed of displayed. If displayed, a bit mapped image of a representative bar code is generated; and a message that indicates the barcode is not valid for printing is applied to the bit mapped image of the representative bar code. The bit mapped image of the indicium can safely be displayed. Whenever an IBIP indicium is being displayed, the whole indicium is shown on the screen with a message, such as "NOT VALID FOR MAILING" superimposed over the PDF bar code area. This gives the user means to visually design the mailpiece with an IBIP indicia in its to-be-printed form but with a distinguishing characteristic that makes it impossible for a postal worker to mistake it for a valid IBIP indicium should it be copied by standard user interface functions and printed.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for displaying an information-based indicia program (IBIP) indicium before printing the indicium on a mailpiece, the method comprising the steps of: obtaining a bit mapped image of a fixed graphic portion of the indicium;   drawing a bit mapped image of a variable portion of the indicium using indicium data elements;   generating a bit mapped image of a representative bar code;   applying to the bit mapped image of the representative bar code, a message indicating the bar code is not valid for mailing; and   displaying a bitmapped image of the indicium, said indicium bitmapped image including said bit mapped images of the fixed graphics portion, the variable portion and the representative bar code.   
     
     
       2. The method of claim 1, comprising the further steps of: determining type of printer to be used in printing the indicium; and   scaling the size of the bit mapped image of the bar code according to the type of printer.   
     
     
       3. A method for printing an information-based indicia program (IBIP) indicium in an IBIP open metering system, the method comprising the steps of: obtaining a bit mapped image of a fixed graphic portion of the indicium;   drawing a bit mapped image of a variable portion of the indicium using indicium data elements;   determining whether the indicium is to be printed or displayed;   generating a bit mapped image of a representative bar code when the indicium is to be displayed;   applying to the bit mapped image of the representative bar code, a message indicating barcode is not valid for mailing; and   displaying a bitmapped image of the indicium, said indicium bitmapped image including said bit mapped images of the fixed graphics portion, the variable portion and the representative bar code.   
     
     
       4. The method of claim 3, comprising the further steps of generating a bit mapped image of a bar code using indicium data elements when the indicium is to be printed; printing a bitmapped image of the indicium, said indicium bitmapped image including said bit mapped images of the fixed graphics portion, the variable portion and the bar code.